Article on Racism

Jan. 6, 2007, Heather Ellis was found cutting in front of waiting customers at Walmart located in Kennett. According to other people, she shoved items already placed on the conveyor belt out of the way so she could get her items checked out first. She claims that she was just joining her cousin but she also said that after she placed her items on the conveyor belt she was pushed by a white customer, called racial slurs and mistreated physically by police officers. Ellis refused to calm herself down in court, kicking someones shin and splitting another persons lip while resisting arrest. She also claims that an officer and a manager was called over and even though she said she wanted to pay for her items, the manager yelled at her, telling her to leave the store. The police officers were called and they followed her to the parking lot using racial slurs and telling Ellis to go back to the ghetto. She eventually pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.

This is a big issue because it has racial overtones since Ellis is black and the police officers, manager, and the customer she argued with were white.